Box construction



Oct. 19, 1943. T. FOSTER 2,332,312 1 BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 8.1942 wires on outside surface verse o v l5 Patented Oct. 19,1943 f '1 UNE AT FQ F BOXCONSTRUCTION I Thomas Foster, Chicago, Ill. 7 ApplicationSeptember 8, 1942, Serial No. 451642 n roiai' s. (011 17.

Thisinvention relates to veneerbox construe tionslparticularly of thewire-bound, type that can'be stored and shipped in the form ofprefabricated flat mats embodyingthe wall sections ready to beset to boxform. by the user.- Theimainobject of. this invention is to an improvedfastening for the? end wall members of veneerbox or wire-bound boxconstructions, whereby the end wall memberswill be fastenedautomatically and permanently :lo'y merely pushing, them into placeagainst the cleatsof the side wall members; I v 1 1 Q A specificembodiment 'ofzthis invention is shown inxthe accompanying drawinginawhich: Figure l is aperspe'ctive view-ofja wire-bound box matconstructed according to this'invention and showing the same in a forminwhichit may be conveniently stored and delivered to theuser.

Fig. 2 is a"fragmentaryiperspective end view of thecomplete box: I n gFig. 3 is a detail inpers'pectiveof one of the side wall cleats showingthe manner incwhich it is provide attached tothe side wall; panel. reend wall panels [6 have attached at each end oneor more fastening clipsI! in the formof specially shaped staples. See 9. Thesestaples areformedof wire bent to rectangular U-form at its bosom portion l8withparallellegs I!) that bend at right-angles to the plane .of the legsH! to form 1 fastening prongs 20 that are driven throughand clenched onthe cleated margins of end panel as shownin Fig. 1.

Thelegs. [9 are spaced to correspond with the spacingbetween the groovesl5.in the cleats It andtthe squared bosom of the staple" enables it tosnugly embrace the lug 2| which is formed on the cleat between thegrooves l5. This lug 2|. is beveled at 22 tofacilitate the entrance ofthe clip when forced between the cleat l4 and the side wall H,q asillustrated in Figures 4 to 6 inclusive. ,Uponinaking theprongs 20 ofclip staples ll, are driven through I the reinforcing cleats 23 of theend panels and grooved to accommodate thefastener for the'end wall. vFigs. 4, Sand 6 are similar fragmentary-sectional details showingsuccessive positions" of the endwall. as:it is-pushed. into place-tolatch the "fastener.

. Fig.7; is a. fragmentary end view illustrating themanner in which theside wallpanel and its reinforcing wire-binding yield during theinstant' that the fastener traverses the. crest of the holding lug as;it. isslipped intoplace, and corresponding to the positionof the partsas shown in section in Fig. 5. I

Fig. '8 is a fragmentary detail showing the V fastener in its finalposition with respect to the v sidewall cleat and, corresponding to asection taken on the line 8-- -8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective vieW-of'the that forms the attached clip..

In the form shown in the drawing, the box consists of a series of panelsof wooden veneer reinforced by cleats extending across the ends thereof.The cleats are positioned to be located on the inside surface of theside wall panels and.

these panels are further reinforced by binding of the box.

In Figure 1 the panel In forms the bottom of the box. The side panels IIand I2 and the top I panel l3 are assembled in mat form in the relationshown.

The cleats M on the side members llt and l2 are grooved as shown in Fig.3 to provide transin that face thereof that is wire staple clenched insuch position that the body of the clip extendsbeyond the ends .ofthepanels i6 lying parallel with and substantially-flush with the innerfaces of their reinforcing cleats and the s end panels are laid upon theside panels ll and I2, one being adjacent to the cleat-l4 at one end ofone respective side panel and the other being adjacent the cleat I 4 atthe other end of the othersidepanel. The panels [6 are then thrustedgewise toward the cleats ,I4 until the clips spring into engagementwith the respective lugs 2|. Thus all the parts of the box are assembled.into asingle mat structure which can be handled without specialattention to avoid loss of loose parts. 7 v 'When the boxis to be set upfor use by the user,rthe sides" I l' and 12 :are turned to stand atright-angles to the bottom It. The free clips H are bent at right-anglesover and across the respective ends of their end panels and then swunginto position, as shown in Fig. 4, where a light hammer tap on the sidepanel over the legs l9 of the staple causes the staple to pass over thebeveled corner 22, forcing the panel H to spring outwardly until thestaple has passed into the position where it is shown in Fig. 6;whereupon the panel and its reinforcingwire 24 together with theresiliency of the staple causes the latter to move into the place whereit snugly embraces the lug 2| and lies substantially flush withthe outersurface of the cleat l4.

It is to be observed that in attaching the staples to the end panels IS,the prongs are the m t as. illustrated in Fig. 1,

driven at a predetermined location so as to properly proportion theextending part of the body portion for the function that it is to serve,namely, that of a snap-in tongue shaped to enter between the side walland its cleat. The bosom portion of the staple acts as a shoulder whichengages the lug formed on the cleat and the tongue thus has self-lockinglatching engagement with the cleat.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will he understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted Without departing from thespirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A knock-down box comprising a side wall, a cleat within and securedto said wall, a transverse panel adapted to abut said wall and cleat,and a fastener secured to said panel and having a snap-in tongue shapedto enter between said sidewall and cleat, said cleat having a grooveadjacent said wall to receive 'saiditongue and having a shoulder in theplane of 'said .groove, and said tonguehaving a shoulder positioned i""eon for self-locking latching engagement '1 said cleat shoulder whensaid panel is pushed into abutting contact with saidLc'leat.

2. A box comprisinga side .wall, a cleat within and secured to saidwall, an end wall-adapted .to abut said side wall and cleat, astapleesh'aped clip having its legs secured to said end wall and havingits medial portion positioned to stand at right-angles to said end wallfor entrance between said side wall and cleat when said panel is pushedinto abutting contact with said cleat,

and said cleatbeing groovedto accommodate the legs-of said clip andprovide a lug between said legs to latch said staple against withdrawal.

3. A box comprising a side wall, a -cleat' within and secured to saidwell, an end wall adapted-t0 abut said side wall and cleat, astaple-shaped clip having its legs secured to said end wall and havingits medial portion positioned to stand at right-angles to said end wallfor -entrance between said side wall and cleat when said-panel is pushedinto abutting contact with said cleat, and said cleat having spacedtransverse grooves to individually accommodate the legs of said clip andprovide a log between said legs-to latch said staple against withdrawal,and said lug being beveled on its inner side to facilitate the entranceof said clip. 1

4. A veneer box construction comprising a side wall, a cleatextendingacro'ss the inside of said r Wall, a wire reinforcementextending across the outside of said wall along said cleat, an end wallfor abutment against said side wall and'cleat, and a staple-shaped cliphaving its legs secured to said end Wall and having its medial portionpositioned to stand at right-angles to said end wall for entrancebetween said side wall and cleat when said panel is pushed into abuttingcontact with said cleat, and said cleat being grooved to accommodate thelegs ofsaid clip and provide a lug between said legs to latch saidstaple against withdrawal, said wire reinforcement coacting with saidside wall to hold said clip in its latched position.

5. A veneer box construction comprising a side wall panel, a, cleatextending along an inside edge of said panel and having a pair of spacedgrooves across the face thereof that is adjacent said wall panel, a lugon said cleat defined by said grooves, an end wall'abutting said sidewall panel .and'cleat, and a wire staple having 2. rectangular bosomsnugly embracing said lug and having its legs seated in said grooves andextending across and around the edge of said end wall and clenched insaid end wall.

6. A box .construction, comprising a series. of

side wall panels, cleats along corresponding end edges of said sidewall'panels, .an endwall panel shaped for .edgewise-abutment againstsaid side wall panels and flatwise abutmentagainst said cleats; certainof said cleats. having-pairs of parallel transverse grooves in their.edges which lie against said side wall panels; each pair of suchgrooves defining a lug on the cleat, said cleats being fastened to theirrespective side wall panels but being free therefrom across said lugs,and a plurality of staple-shaped clips on said end .paneL each havingits bosom portion proportioned and shaped to embrace one of said cleatlugs and positioned for passage into latching engagement with itsrespective .lug when said end panel is pushedinto place against saidcleats. I

"7. A box construction, comprising a series of side wall panels, cleatsalong corresponding end edges of saidside wall panels, an end wall panelshaped for edgewise abutment'against said side wall panels sand fiatwiseabutmentagainst said cleats, certain of said cleats having pairs ofparallel transverse grooves in their edges which lie against :said sidewall panels, each pair of such grooves defining a lug on the cleat,said. cleats being fastened to their respective side wall panels butbeing free therefrom 'across 'said lugs, and a plurality ofstaple-shaped clips on'said end panel, each'having its leg portionsclenched into said end panel andextending outward and over the edge ofsaid end panel and having its bosom portion shaped and proportioned tosnugly embrace one of said cleat lugs, said clips, lugs and side wallpanels being respectively arranged to cooperate'to force said clips intoself-latching engagement'with said lugs when said end panel is pushedinto place against said cleats.-

' I THOMASI. FOS'I'El-"t.

